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Favoring co-partisan controlled areas in central government distributive programs: the role of local party organizations

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  • Özge Kemahlıoğlu

    (Sabancı University)

  • Reşat Bayer

    (Koç University)

Abstract

We analyze the non-contributory health insurance program (“green cards”) in Turkey with RDD (Regression Discontinuity Design) and show that more citizens receive green cards in municipalities controlled by the national incumbent party, AKP (Adalalet ve Kalkınma Partisi). Our explanation for the finding emphasizes the role of local party organizations and sub-national incumbency. Local government control provides additional resources to the party to strengthen its organization, which then helps the party to target the beneficiaries of central government programs like green cards more effectively. Theoretically, we join the literature that uncovers the significance of incorporating local actors into the analysis of central government programs. Our contribution lies in depicting the mediating role of political parties and their local organizations. Even in a highly centralized context like Turkey, parties’ informal role affects program implementation. Unequal access to free healthcare results from the asymmetry between national and opposition parties in how their local organizations interact with the central government.

Suggested Citation

  • Özge Kemahlıoğlu & Reşat Bayer, 2021. "Favoring co-partisan controlled areas in central government distributive programs: the role of local party organizations," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 187(3), pages 301-319, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:pubcho:v:187:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s11127-019-00774-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s11127-019-00774-5
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Distributive politics; Local party organization; Decentralization; Non-contributory health insurance; Turkey;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H42 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Publicly Provided Private Goods
    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism

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